The Aftermath
by puros.basileus
Summary: Story about what happens after the war... .. . Toph/Zuko
1. The Aftermath: Prologue

Prologue

These paragraphs are meant to give you a little better understanding of where everyone is, before you start reading the story. Please note this is only as basic summary of each character and doesn't mean they will remain this way though out the whole story.

Avatar (Aang)

After the war has ended the Avatar returned with Katara to help rebuild the Southern Water Tribe to its former glory, but soon afterwards he realized that his feelings for Katara where more like that of a brother's love towards a sister. Eventually the Avatar left Katara and the tribe to head north. At this point Aang is now a fully realized avatar and has adopted the Northern Water Tribe as his new home and has also started a family, with his wife Aven, a healer and a beautiful five-year-old daughter named Tara.

Katara

When Aang left the Southern Water Tribe, her heart was broken since though Aang only loved her like a sister she loved him more than he could imagine. Eventually she forced herself to move on, but even now, every once in a while, when she sees Aang hold Aven she quietly wishes it was her in his arms instead. She is still living in the South Pole and has become a much better waterbender and after Master Pakku expected the position of Chief of the Southern Water Tribe she became in charge of training benders for the tribe.

Sokka

As everyone expect shortly after the war Sokka purposed to Suki. Their life on Kyosh Island has been quite nice, and they have been blessed with two find boys, Kan age seven and Hun age five. During the years Sokka had moved to be more of an inventor than the warrior he always wanted to be, though he is still considered a master swordsman. Sokka with the help with Toe have created a nice size laboratory for their experiments and inventions, which Suki has mentions many time: "end up blowing up in the two inventors' faces."

Toph

Toph was happy to return home since now her parents finally had excepted the fact that their daughter was not as helpless as they once thought, though how could her parents argue when the new Fire Lord (Zuko) had praised her as a great hero and one of the most influential people for ending the war. Like Katara she has decided that after the war she would uses her skills to help train new earth benders, some of which have also become metal benders.

Zuko

With his father defeated Zuko took the thrown but unlike his father he was a just ruler, who has tried hard to regain the respect of the other nations which had been lost by the years of war. He still at times is not the most pleasant person to be around, when it came to most people, but yet he had grown much since the war ended, through guidance from his uncle who eventually returned to Fire Nation to stands by his side; now as Zuko's royal adviser.


	2. The Aftermath: Chapter 1

Chapter 1

A man, caring a letter in his hand, walks over to a woman sitting on a rock drinking tea silently, "my lady a message had just arrived, would you like me to read it to you?"

"Yes, please" the woman said in a quiet voice.

The man unrolled the paper, cleared his voice and began to read the message aloud.

"Dear Toph

Life in going well down here at the Southern Water Tribe, I'll tell you more about it when we meet up. Sokka, Aang and I have decided that our reunion will be held at Kyoshi Island on the eve of the next full moon. Hope things are going well and I'll see you soon.

Your friend Katara"

The man stood there for a second before beginning to speak again. "Is there anything else my lady?"

Toph took another sip of her tea, the turned to the man. "No thanks you... by-the-way thank you for reading the letter to me, you have a nice sounding voice when you read."

The man blushed a little bit before speaking. "Thanks you my lady... if you need me I'll be at my post by the front gate." The man bowed then turned and walked back to his post.

LATER THAT DAY

Toph was sitting at her desk, about to write a response to Katara's letter; after the war Toph had decided that it would be to her best interest to learn how to read and writer. She paused for a few seconds then breathed a slight sigh, thinking back at the conversation he had just had in the next room, but then turned her attention back at the task at hand; writing her letter.

Dear Katara

Thanks you for informing me about the reunion, I should arrive there the morning of or the night before. I'm quite exited for the reunion since a have a few surprises to tell and show everyone when we meet up again.

Toph

While waiting for the ink to dry Toph walked over to the window, so that she could lean her head out and breath in the cold night air. So much had happened today that she was thankful that sleep would soon follow. Once the ink had dried she rolled up the letter and placed in a pouch on the back of a messenger hawk. Moments later the hawk spread out it wings and flew into the night, towards the south.


	3. The Aftermath: Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Two boys kept themselves entertained on the beach, anxiously waiting for their aunt's ship to come into view. The two boys had been down at the beach for most the afternoon. The sun had been high in the sky when they first reached the shore and now it was nearing dusk. A strong yet kind voice spoke from behind the two boys. "Have you two been out her all day waiting for your Aunt?" the voice said with a slight laugh.

The older boys turned and there was Aang, the Avatar behind him. "No, not quite all day, Hun and I had to help our mother get ready for Aunt Katara, but yeah I guess we have been out her a while." I boy blushed just slightly then turned to his little brother how had already fallen asleep against a fallen tree.

"Well I think your waiting will soon come to an end, since if I'm not mistaken that's your Aunts ship I see in the distance." Aang pointed a finger at a small blue object in the distance.

"Blue sails? That has to be Aunt Katara's ship!" the boy rushed over to his sleeping brother trying to wake him up, since he knew that he wouldn't want to miss their Aunt coming in, especially after all that time waiting for her to arrive.

A little while later the Avatar and the two boys were joined by the boy's parents, and Toe, but unfortunately the two boys that had waited so long for their Aunt to arrive were sound asleep, snuggled up against the same fallen tree that the younger one had fallen asleep against earlier.

Finally, Katara stepped off the ship and was right away engulfed in a huge hug from her brother; Sokka. Katara gladly returned the hung and once Sokka finally let go enough to allowing her to breath she said in a cheerful voice, "it nice to see you all again, as I can tell I'm guessing Toph has yet to arrive?"

"Yeah, but she probably be her some time tomorrow morning" Suki explained.

Katara breath a slight sigh of relief. "I was afraid for a moment there, since I wanted to be here when Toph tells you her surprises."

Suddenly everyone had a confused look on their faces, until Sokka finally broke the awkward silence that had come over them all. "Surprise?" He said in a very confused manor.

"Actually surprises" Katara blushed a little bit at the fact that she just now realized that she had forgotten to mention that to any of them before leave the South Pole. "Well guess it's a good thing that I got her before Toph since if just hearing about her surprises does this, I wonder what would have happened if she would have arrived first." She grin wide and laughed softly to herself.

LATER THAT EVENING

"So what do you know about these surprises that Toph has for us?" Suki asked Katara while they all headed up the hill to her and Sokka's home.

"Well, not much besides that one is something she is going to show us and the other is something she is going to tell us. I really don't know anything else besides that, really."

"Well if I know Toph as well as I think I do, I'm guessing none of us will probably be that prepared for surprises." With this statement the group all shared a nice laugh since they knew this to be true.

The group finally made their way to the top of the little hill and entered Sokka's and Suki's home. It wasn't that much different than the rest of the homes in the village, minus the fact that there were water tribe object decorating the home and some of the furniture was also from the water tribe. Even though Sokka had not returned with Katara and Aang to the South Pole, he still loved the South Pole and proudly showed it.

"Well since Aang it just going to stay with Toe at the laboratory, you get you own room" Suki smiled and lead Katara to one the guest rooms. Originally the plan was that Aang, Aven and Tara would stay in one room and Katara and Toph would say in another, but since neither Aven and Tara were able to come Aang had opted to stay with Toe, since he was quite fascinated by the laboratory Toe and Sokka had build.

Suki really wanted to talk more with Katara but from the look on her face she could tell that it had been a long day for her and that she was looking forward to a nice soft bed to sleep on. "I'll let you get some sleep; we'll talk some more over breakfasts, goodnight… oh and if Toph comes. I'll make sure to let you know" Suki said with a slight chuckle.

"Goodnight." Katara yawned.

THE NEXT MORNING

The sun was shining brought into Sokka's and her bedroom, when Suki force herself out of bed, today would be a busy day. Sokka had already woken up, and Suki figured he was probably in the dining room eating with the others by now. Suki looked out the window, she always enjoyed waking up to the sight of the sea, but when she looked out her eyes got quite large as she spotted a large dark ship in the distance. "Zuko!"

MEANWHILE

Toph was sitting in her room drinking tea; it was another interest that she had picked up after the end of the war. A guard quietly entered the room, not wishing to disturb her too much. It was the same guard that had read her the letter a number of days earlier. "Sorry to disturb you my lady, but I figure you would like to know that we are nearing Kyoshi Island."

Toph turned her head slightly to face the guard, and with a small but warm smile said "thank you" to the guard. With that the Guard bowed respectfully then left.

ON KYOSHI ISLAND

After seeing Zuko's ship in the distance Suki quickly got dressed and headed to the dining room to tell the others. When she entered the dining room, Sokka could tell something was on her mine. "What's wrong?"

"Nothings wrong, it's just that I was surprised when I looked out the window this morning and saw a Fire Nation ship heading this way." Suki sat down calmly, next to her husband and started eating.

"What, a Fire Nation ship... here?" Sokka was quite surprised to hear that. It have been over two years since any of them, besides Aang, (as the Avatar it figures that he would see the Fire Lord a least a few times during the past two years) had seen Zuko.

"Well that's definitely a surprise, I wonder if that was one of the surprises that Toph had for us?"

"Maybe, Katara... but something tells me that Zuko being here is not it, and that Toph surprise will be much more shocking."

Katara looked at Sokka and then quietly started laughed "What could be more shocking then Zuko?"

"Yeah your right, but still call it a gut feeling?"

"Well instead of just sitting here wondering, we could always just go down to the sore and found out." Suki interrupted. She was surprised that no one seemed to keen on this idea, as everyone just sat there eating. In a slight irritated manor she repeated what she had just said.

"We heard you the first time, dear" Sokka said, trying to not show his irritation.

"Then why are you all still just sitting there?" Suki then turned to face her husband. "You weren't like this to Katara or Aang." Everyone could tell that a fight was going to be starting soon between her and Sokka.

MEANWHILE

"Is there anyone out there waiting?" Toph said in a somewhat optimistic voice.

"No, but if you want I could quickly check again?" The guard said about to turn and head up deck to check.

"Thank you, but there is no need, in all honesty I didn't expect that warm of a welcome. Now if you wouldn't mine I would like to finish getting ready in private."

The guard looked at her kind of awkwardly, but knew it wasn't his place to speak to her on such manors, so he respectfully bowed, saying, "as you wish, my lady" before leaving.

A little bit later, Toph was standing on the deck in front of the Captain of the ship, with a small bag by her feet. "Captain, Again I want to thank you for your find work, and for delivering me safely to Kyoshi Island. Please tell the crew that shore leave is on me."

"Thanks you my lady, I know that the crew will greatly appreciate you kind jester" The captain said, while respectfully bowing at her. "By the way, is there anything else you may need or want of the crew before or me before you leave?"

"No, but thanks for the offer" Toph, grabbed the bag at her feet and swung the strap across her shoulder and headed down the ramp, off the ship. At the bottom she was met by the same guard as before.

"Are you sure you don't want anyone to accompany you?" he said with a nerves smile.

"I'm not a little girl, I think I can manage myself, but thank you" Toph said with a grin on her face. She knew the guard wasn't asking because he thought she needed assistance but because he wanted be with her.

MEANWHILE

The dust, figuratively speaking had finally settled, Sokka still had more he wanted to say and likewise for Suki but they both agreed that right now wasn't the time and that their discussion (argument) would have to wait until later. "So on a different note how is your work with the first year benders going?" Suki turned to Katara and forced a small smile, trying to lighten the mood a little bit.

"It's actually gone quite well, though with Master Pakku now Chief Pakku, I find it a bit harder than other years... at times" Katara smiled, glad that things were finally starting to move away from that one argument.

Within a short time the mood of the room had returned back to before Sokka and Suki had their argument, and besides a few words here and there from Sokka and Suki the previous conversation had pretty much died, for now at least. Things were going so nice actually that they almost didn't realize it when there was a soft knock on the front door. With that, things became quite again, and Katara and Aang looked at Sokka and Suki, wondering what either of them was going to say next, but they were pleasantly surprise when they just smiled at each.

"Come in." Suki said in a loud yet very friendly manor.

As the door slowly open, Sokka stood up and began to give a somewhat force apology for not going down to the ship. "Zuko, Sorry abou..." Sokka mouth dropped and his eye widen, for he was quite surprise by who was at the door. It was... .. .


	4. The Aftermath: Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Toph hadn't changed much since when the gang had first met her over ten years ago. She still wore her hair in a bun and her feet as usually were dirty, since she hated wearing shoes. Though she was a few inches taller, and wear makeup on a more regular bases, though rarely did she wear a lot at any given moment also she wore dresses more often as well, though they were usually quite plan, but all that was dwarfed by what the whole room was now staring at.

Katara tried to break the ocwerd silence. "Toph... your umm... umm..."

"Pregnant!" Toph had a grin on her face, the same grin that the group had come to get uses to over the years. A grin that ment she getting a kick out of the response she was getting from everyone. "Well I told you I had a surprise to show everyone." Toph said in a sarcastic yet playful voice. She was loving every second of this, for now at least.

Though it was plan to see that Katara and Suki where exited with the idea of Toph becoming a mother, Sokka eyes couldn't stop staring at the type of clothing Toph was wearing, until finally he could hold his tongue no longer. "So I see from your cloths that you decided to marry some Fire Nation jerk!" It had been almost ten years since the end of the war, but yet some wounds had yet to fully heal.

"Hey boomerang boy, if all you can notice is the clothing then how about you look at what's on my head as well! That should give you an idea of who you're calling a 'jerk!'" Toph, pleasant attitude had totally vanished. If it had been pretty much anyone else talking to her in such a manor the person would have gotten a rock to the head as an answer instead. Toph pointed to what she was wearing on her head, which wasn't really a crown, since it was more a hair band (sort of like the one she wore when Aang, Katara, Sokka and her had been in the Fire Nation, shortly before the Day of the Black Sun) but definitely it was equivalent to one, since it bore the sign of the Fire Nation's Royal Family.

Again an ocwerd, silence fall upon the group; "As I can tell from your silence that you have figured out that the 'jerk' Sokka was referring to is Zuko, my husband!" Toph crossed her arms irritated at them all. "But I guess I shouldn't be surprised by this, since you didn't even have the courteousness to meet me when I got off my ship!"

At this Aang spoke up in defense. "Now that's not fair Toph, we didn't know that you wouldn't be coming on an Earth Nations ship."

"That's not the point!" Toph turned her anger now to Aang. "The point is that you should have come down to the ship, even if you though it was only Zuko!" As she spoke everyone could feel the ground starting to shake slightly and they knew that at any moment things could easily turn from bad to worse, but suddenly the shaking stopped.

"Hey there Toph, nice to see you again" Toe rolled into the room, followed closely by Kan and Hun, who ran over and gave Toph a hug. Toph warmly returned the hug, and gave a smile Toe's directions, before giving Aang and the others a quick look that told them that their conversation wasn't over.

LATER THAT DAY

Toph was sitting in front of a fairly nice size earth tent she had earthbened for herself since she really didn't feel like being stuck in the same house with everyone else, considering all that had happened earlier. She sat there drinking her tea alone, wishing that her husband (Zuko) was there to keep her warm instead of the small fire in front of her. While sitting there silently Toph could recognize a pair of footsteps heading her directions. "Hey there Katara" Toph said in a quiet voice.

"I couldn't sleep and when I saw the smoke from your fire, I figure you might want some company."

Toph smiled and purred her a cup of tea. The two of them sat there in silence for a little while, until finally Toph spoke. "I bet you have a lot of questions... Sugar Queen." Toph added that last little bit trying to lighten the mood a little bit. She never was someone that really didn't like having these kinds of conversations, and usually would try to hide her discomfort with sarcasm.

Katara grinned a little bit. "Yes... Queen Toph." Katara though it was kind of funny that Toph would still refereed to her as queen especially since Toph was now a real one herself. "Probably my biggest question is why didn't you tell us?" She took another sip of her tea, "we're your friends, and I figure we would be the first to know."

Toph finished her tea, placed the cup on the ground then turned to Katara. "The reason why I didn't tell anyone is simple because none of you really consider Zuko a friend." Toph tried her best to hide the sadness she was feeling, since as long as Katara had known her, she knew that Toph hated to show that side of her. She always wanted people to see her as strong and not some weak blind girl, but Katara could tell that the way she and everyone had acted earlier really hurt her.

"I wouldn't say that's true, but you have to admit Zuko is not the most easiest person to become friends with, at least when it come to the rest of us" Katara said in a quiet voice.

"Trust me Katara" Toph grind a little bit, "I out of anyone know that to be true. Zuko defiantly hasn't always been the most pleasant towards me either." Toph stared into the fire and began to tell Katara a story:

START OF FLASHBACK

"Fire Lord Zuko, a young lady from the Earth Kingdom is requesting an audience with you, what should I tell her?"

"I'm busy right now, tell her to go away. If it's something important she'll come back tomorrow." Zuko, didn't even bother lifting his head to face the guard, but instead kept his attention on his work. It had been almost three years since the war had ended, and he was trying hard to fix all the things his father and grandfather had done during the war.

A few moments later the guard returned. "Sorry my Lord, but the young lady insists that you see her now."

At this moment Zuko was getting rather irritate at this, thinking to himself how dare some Earth Kingdom stranger 'insist' that she tells him what to do. "Does this Lady have a name?"

"Umm... I don't know what her name is, my Lord, but if you want I'll go ask her" the guard said in a slightly nervous voice.

"Go and find out! Unless she is someone important, tell her to leave, and if she doesn't, make her!"

Again after a little bit the guard returned, "The Lady says her name is Toph Bei Fong."

Zuko finally lifted his head. He really didn't feel like talking to her right now, not because he disliked her but he just really wanted to keep working, but he knew that he couldn't say no, since he himself (at the end of the war) had honored her as a hero of the war (you can't get much more important than that). "Very well, show her to the throne room, I'll be there waiting for her."

A LITTLE WHILE LATER

Zuko sat on this throne, waiting impatiently for Toph to enter, He really wanted to get back to his work, and felt that her audience with him could wait until later. Finally the throne room doors open and in walked Toph. Though she was almost sixteen, she still didn't look too different then when Zuko had first met, except she was a little talk and was begin to look more like a woman, though still looked very much like a child to him. "So what is that you want" Zuko said in a less than friendly manor.

"Nice to see you to" Toph said in a very sarcastic voice. "I would though that at least you would pretend to be nice, at least for half a moment, but I guess that's expecting too much from you... Sparky?" it was a nick name Toph had given Zuko after a poor first attempt to try to teach Aang how to bend lighting.

It was later learned that because Aang was born an air bender that it was most likely that he would never be able to master. Aang still keeps on trying, though still to this day he has yet to been be able to bend lighting.

"Did you just come here to irritate me, or is there an actual reason for why you are here?" Zuko was getting quite irritated at Toph and the grin on her face didn't make things any better.

"Well it's been about two years since you last saw me so I figured I would swing by"

"Well as you can see, I'm busy at the moment, so we'll have to continue this at a later time. Now it you don't mine I have to get back to work." Zuko stood up and started to leave, but before he was out of the room he was hit in the back of the shoulder by a rock.

"First, I can't see, if you haven't notice, and second, I'll be staying her for the next few days, I'm guessing you can find a few moments before I leave to finish our conversation." Toph gave Zuko another grin his direction, the kind she knew he hated, then left.

THREE DAYS LATER

Iroh was nice enough to offered Toph to stay in the palace, and at the moment she was pacing back and forth in her room irritated that it been three days and Zuko hadn't even made any sort of effort to see her. She wondered to her visit was even worth it. Sure she got to spend time with Iroh, which she enjoyed, but still the point of come wasn't that. Finally Toph decided to just lay down and go to sleep, but then suddenly she recognizes a pair of footsteps heading to her room, then came a knock at the door, she could tell it was Zuko. "Toph, are you still up" Zuko said in a quiet voice, not wishing to wake her just in case she was asleep already.

Toph walked over and open the door. "So finally only took you three days" Toph said in a sarcastic tone, with a grin on her face, the same grin she knew Zuko hated.

Zuko blushed a little bit, since because of the warm night Toph was wearing a quite revealing nightgown. "Sorry about that, I've just been really busy that all."

Toph stopped grinning; she could tell that Zuko was actually truly sorry about not coming to see her sooner. She felt a little guilty at the way she had answered the door, but kept that guilt to herself, she didn't want Zuko to know that, at least not quite yet. "Well you're here now, so what on your mine?"

"Well I was wondering if you wanted to take a walk in the garden with me, we could finish our conversation from the other day." Zuko looked down at his feet, feeling sort of sheepishly. He wasn't quite sure why he was feeling this way, since it was just Toph he was talking to.

The Two spend a fare amount of the night walk in the garden together, though they really didn't talk that much, since neither of them were the kind of person to just spend hours talking to someone, but yet Toph was enjoying the company, and she could tell that Zuko was enjoying it as well, at least a little bit.

END OF FLASHBACK

"The next morning I headed back to Gaoling. I had spend four days in the capital yet only spend only one night talking to Zuko, and even than most of the time we just us walking, instead actually talking." Toph smiled to herself as she thought back to that one night.

Katara had a confused look on her face. Why had Toph told her this story, didn't it just prove what Aang, Sokka, and her were saying: that Zuko was a hard person to deal with. "Toph, why did you tell me that story?" Katara finally asked. The two women, sat there for a few moments in silence, Katara eyes just stared into the small fire while patiently waiting for Toph to respond to her question.

"I returned again a month later, and again Zuko acted very much the same as before, but yet I kept coming back again and again, the same time every month." Katara was a little confused and annoyed that Toph seemed to be totally ignoring her question, and just keep going on with her story, but figured it was best not to say anything. "After over three years of my monthly visits, Zuko finally started to become somewhat friendly to me, though most people probably wouldn't have noticed the difference."

START OF FLASHBACK

Toph had accidental over slept so was trying to get ready as fast as she could since she was suppose to meet Iroh at the main gates shortly so that he could walk her down to her ship, which had become one of her favorite parts of her visits. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Toph jumped a little bit at the sound, since she wasn't used to not knowing when someone was near, but she just figured that it was because she was so preoccupied with trying to get ready on time. Toph grabbed her bag and walked to the door, but was totally surprise at who was at the door. "Zuko, what are you doing here?" she said in a very confused voice.

Zuko blushed a little bit while looking down at his feet slightly, not really wishing to make eye contact with Toph. "I was just heading to a meeting and just figured I would stop by and wish you good-bye... and say I'll be looking forward to you next visit" Toph could easily tell that Zuko wasn't quite sure what to say next, so before she could even think of something to say to him, Zuko turned around and headed off, in a rather fast pace. Toph just stood there for a moment, she could hardly believe what had just happened, but finally she headed off to meet Iroh.

END OF FLASHBACK

"I had a nice size grin on my face when I finally met Iroh at the gate and he could tell I was in rather good mood but he didn't ask why. He probably figuring I would tell him why when the time was right." Toph leaned back and rested her back again the tent (earth tent) then turned to Katara, "So what was your question again?"

Katara just stared at the fire for a little bit before turning to speaking again. "That's nice that things worked out well with Zuko and you, but Toph not all of us have the ability to devote so much time and energy as you did."

"Toph closed her eyes and sighed a little bit before speaking again. "The point of the story is not how much time or energy I put in or even the fact that things turned out the way they did, but instead the point is that I tried, something none of the rest of you have really done since the end of the war."

Katara was starting to get a little mad about the last comment Toph had just made. "What you mean we have done nothing? You know that Zuko is always invited to our reunions and at least when it comes to Aang and me, Zuko should know that he is more than welcome to visit us."

"Yes that's true, but ask me this, if I stopped coming to the reunions, wouldn't you have eventually come to visit me?"

"But that's different' you're our frie..." Katara suddenly stopped. The two of them just sat there for a while, neither of them knowing what to say. Until in a soft voice Katara turned to Toph and said "I'm sorry" and with that Katara got up and slowly walked back to the house.


	5. The Aftermath: Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Though night had already fallen on Kyoshi Island it was only dusk at the Fire Lords Royal Palace. Fire Lord Zuko was glad that the day was coming to an end, for it had been long and not all together that pleasant since besides his uncle, none of his council was in favor of him leaving to go to Kyoshi Island, but he felt that he should to be there for his wife, and future mother of his child, despite what is council or anyone else thought. Zuko petted his dragon (after seeing that Zuko was indeed a just ruler, the tribe of fire benders that guarded over the last of the dragons, rewards Zuko with a dragon of his own which he named Toko) for a little bit, wondering to himself, if what he was doing really what a true Fire Lord should be doing.

"Nephew" came the voice of his uncle, walking towards him. "I can tell you're hesitant about leaving, but let me re-ensure you that what you're doing is okay." Uncle was quite good at knowing what was on someone's mine without them saying anything, and this was especially true when it came to Zuko.

"Thanks you Uncle, for re-ensuring me about what I am doing." Zuko gave his uncle quick hug then climbed onto the dragon. "I'll return soon, please contact me if there is any trouble while I am gone" Zuko said as the dragon flew eastward towards Kyoshi Island. Zuko would have to hurry to get to the island before morning, but he had confidence that Toko would not let him down and would fly as fast and he could.

ON KYOSHI ISLAND

Toph sat in silence alone staring blindly into a pile of ash and burnt wood that had been a small fire, but it had been dead for hours now and the sun would soon be rising. She had stayed up all night just thinking about so many things: Why she had even come? Why she thought her friends would be happy for her? Why couldn't they understand what she understood? But most of all she just longed for Zuko, her husband to be with her, even if he was just there to tell her she was wrong for coming, at least he would be here with her and that's all she really wanted. Finally after holding her feeling in the whole night she could hold it in no longer and she started crying long and hard. She hated showing this side of her, even to Zuko, she hated been seen as week, and that what crying made her, week, since all her focus was on her tears and not on anything else, which made her again, for one of the few moments in her life, totally bind.

Suddenly a hand rested on her shoulder, Toph still crying quickly took her hand to shove it away, thinking it was probably Katara and that she didn't want her to be here when she was like this, she didn't want anyone to see her like this, but the hand she felt was not Katara's but that of a man, a man she knew better than anyone, the one man that she had been longer for all this time, it was Zuko. She turned to face him and dug her head into his chest while holding him closet to her, her eye still filled with tears, but she didn't care, all she knew was that her husband was once again with her and that is all that mattered. Zuko just knelt next to his wife, holding her closest to him, letting her cry as much and as long as she needed to. All his doubts about if coming here was the right thing were gone, for he knew that it took a lot for Toph act like this, for he had only seen her this way once before:

START OF FLASHBACK

Zuko and Toph stood near the edge of a dock, waiting for dozens of Fire Nation ships, filled with refugees to dock. Toph and Zuko have become quite good friends during the past year and a half, and Toph now (when she was around) usually joined Zuko when it came to royal and important matters such as this, though she found most of these things quite boring she always tried to come, since she really was starting to like Zuko, more than just as a friend, but Toph was not willing to admit it to Zuko, and instead typical gives some other reason for why she wants to come along.

"I guess this time my visit fell at a kind of bad time." Toph said, trying to break the coward silence between her and Zuko. She can tell that Zuko was concerned about the refugees and was wondering how he was going to deal with such the massage numbers of people. Yes, on paper it was all organized and well planed out on what will happen, but making plans and actually caring them out are two different things.

"No... since most of the refugees are originally from Earth Kingdoms, they would probably like seeing someone from their home land greeting them, when they first get off the ship." Zuko had become much more pleasant towards Toph over the years, where before he would have probably have just said nothing, or said something that just would have resulted with him getting his with a rock.

Before Toph and Zuko could really get into an in-depth conversation, a guard from a watch tower yield down, "I see the fleet in the distance!" With that Zuko turned and walked towards some other people waiting for the ships to arrive. He need to talk to them and deal with some last minute preparations before the ships actually docked, but he was polite enough to apologize to Toph about having to break their conversation short, and that they could talk possibly later that evening is she wanted.

Toph just sat on a crate on the dock waiting for Zuko to finally come back. She felt a little worthless because since the dock was made of wood she really couldn't see nonetheless do much too really help things. Eventually after what seemed like an eternity, (funny how when you miss someone you really care about, at times just a few minutes away from them can feel like an eternity...) though Toph would never admit it out loud, Zuko returned, and just in time since the first ship was about to start unloading the first group of refugees.

Toph was just getting up to walk over to Zuko, when suddenly she was could felt someone grab her and push her off the dock and into the water, but before hitting the water she swore she fleet what seemed like a massive wave of heat pass right by her while she falling. As soon as she hit the water panic took over, but then suddenly everything seemed to stop and go dark, a different kind of dark then what she was used to.

SOME TIME LATER

Toph woke to the sound so two men talking in the distance: "I'm not quite sure exactly when she will regain consciousness, it might be any minute or hours from now, but tell Fire Lord Zuko that I'll send word as soon as she waits up." She was laying on the hard floor of some tunnel or cave that she had never been in before, but at this point she didn't care where she was but more why she was here and how come she didn't remember how she got her, or anything after hitting the water.

Toph could feel the footsteps of the two men part way, one heading down another tunnel or cave while the other headed her directions. "Good you're up, you had us worried for a little bit"

Toph looked at the man with a very confused look on her faced then in an equally confused manor asked: "What's going on here, and how did I get here." She started to stand up but then her head started throbbing.

"You shouldn't get up so soon; you still have a fairly large cut on your head" The man in concerned voice told her while moving to help her back down.

Normally Toph would get irritated with someone trying to help her, but for once the help was not because of her blindness, so she didn't shrug the man way. She sat down, and placed her hand on the back of her head, she could feel the cute, the dry blood, and the bandages raped around it. "Please tell me what happened" Toph said in a quiet voice.

The men cleared his voice, sat down across from Toph and began to speak. "I wasn't there myself, but shortly after the ships had dock, there was a massive attack. Fire Lord Zuko pushed you and himself off the dock so you wouldn't get hit my Azula's attack."

"What... Azula...!" Toph was shocked, and horrified to her that name, she hoped she would never have to see or hear from her again.

"Yes Azula's back. Her forces had taken over all the ship, and once the landed massacred almost everyone on the dock. After Zuko had swum you and himself to shore, he passed you on to me, and headed to join the army to defend off Azula's attack."

"But how come I don't remember any of that?" Toph still very much confused about the whole situation.

"The reason for that is because as soon as you hit the water, you accidentally got hit by a falling piece of wood from the dock and was knocked unconscious. You've been out for almost the whole day." The man stood up and began to leave, but right before he was gone he turn his head to say, "best that you rest of a little bit longer."

Again Toph would normally get irritated at such a comment but she realized that not only was the man right but again he was not telling her to rest just because she was blind girl, but he would have said that to anyone in her position, so she laid back down.

MEAN WHILE

In another tunnel, so ways away from where Toph was resting, Zuko walked around looking at all the hurt mean, some even close to death. As he saw the men he wondered how he could have allowed this to happen, how could he have allowed his sister to become so strong, without him knowing about it, and also he wondered how we would stop her, but most of all he wondered to himself if Toph was alright. Sure she was a strong person and would fight to the bitter end, but even some things even the strongest person would have a hard time facing. Suddenly he heard the steps of two small feet coming up behind him, he turned and there was Toph. She was defiantly was a sight for sorrow eyes, her hair was hanging down messily, her clothes were quite dirt (more so then usual), she walked a little slower than normal, but considering what happened it was still a fairly brisk walk.

"I might be blind but I can still see that these men are in pain, and many will soon die..." Toph said in a soft voice, standing next to Zuko. "What are you going to do now?" She asked, not knowing really what to say next.

Zuko looked down at Toph, thinking that she ought to be resting that this moment, but knew better to tell that to Toph, so instead didn't mention anything to that nature to her. "I knew that when the war ended that there would still be hard times, even if Azula hadn't returned, it would have just been someone or something else that would have come instead. I just wished that this time of peace would have lasted just a little bit longer" Zuko turned to walk away, down a tunnel to meet with is generals. "I know I didn't answer your question, because honestly I don't know what I'm going to do next... if you want you can join me in the meeting, I would enjoy having you there."

Toph was shocked by what Zuko had just asked her. Never out of all these years had he personally invited her to anything like he just did. Sure had has asked her to join him other times to go places with him, but this time his request was different in some odd way that she couldn't quite put to words. Toph grind wide, like little child who had just open her birthday present, and quickly caught up with him, though she made her grin smaller once she caught up to him, since part of her felt shy and embarrassed about her grin, but not enough to totally get rid of it.

SOME TIME LATER

Zuko rested on the ledge of a cliff that overlooked his now ravaged capital city. Tomorrow would be one of the most important days in his life, but also one of the hardest, since he wasn't sure if he would be able to do all that may be asked of him. He had always wanted to be Fire Lord, but now how he longed to be back when he and his uncle on the day of his uncles former tea shop (The Jada Dragon), when for the first time and his life he was truly content. The soft sound of a pair of feet heading his direction brought him back to reality, and there in front of his was Toph walking towards him. She must have just recently woken up from sleeping, from the way she looked, hair a mess, cloths wrinkled, her eye still half closed plus she had yawned at she walked towards him, which made him grin a little bit; she sure looked beautiful at the moment he thought to himself.

"Hey Sparky... can't sleep?" she said with a yawn.

"Not really, but why are you up anyways?"

"I don't know, but felt like getting up, whats it to you?" she said in somewhat smug manor, yet playful at the same time. Toph sat down and rested her back against the same rock Zuko was resting against. "So Sparky, how about you tell me whats on your mine, of are we just going to sit here awkwardly?"

"Not right now, please." Zuko spoke softly and started to leave, but when he got up he notice his back foot was stuck in the ground.

"Hey, don't think you can get out of talking to me so easily" Toph said with another one of those grins that she knew Zuko hated. She enjoyed teasing him, especially since even after all theses years, Zuko had yet to once raise his voice to her.

Zuko started to get mad, normally he didn't mine so much when Toph acted like this, he even somewhat enjoyed it at times, but tonight was different, tonight he was not in the mood to talk, and Toph's actions didn't make things any better. Zuko quickly feed himself and once again started to head off, only to find his other foot now stuck in the ground. "Toph that's enough stop it!"

Toph, froze for a moment, Zuko had never talked to her like that, and she didn't like it one bit. "How dare you take to me like that, I'm not a kid you can boss around!"

"Then stop acting like a kid for once!" Zuko had freed his foot and now was staring at Toph, and yelling at her.

"What's with you, ever since I arrived you have been distance towards me, and now this, what the F!# is your problem!"

"You want to know my problem, well it's you!"

"F!# you!" Toph was now standing inches from Zuko yelling back at him.

"Just go away!"

"I'll stay where I D!# want to, and you can't F!# tell me what to do!"

"Well I just did!"

"F!# you!"

For a bit neither of them moved or did anything except stand there, until finally Zuko in a now calm voice said, "I'm sorry Toph... do you really want to know what's on my mine?"

Toph was still mad at Zuko, not just because they had gotten in a fight, but that he had actually yelled at her, something she thought he would never do to her. "Yes" Toph said, in a somewhat irritated manor. Zuko walked over to Toph, but just turned away and said in the same manor "well if you have something to say then say it already!"

"What I said earlier about what my problem was, well.. well I... I wasn't... I wasn't being totally honest, where... yes it is you... but it came out wrong... i mean... ah...

Toph grind a little bit to herself. It was cute hearing Zuko talk like this, he was normally so good at talking to people, weather it was her, some general, or even a total stranger, but this was the first time she had ever hear him sound so overconfident and nerves about what he was saying, it started to make the feelings of anger fade away, slowly but surly.

"Let me start over... during my life there has been only two people I really cared about, my mother and uncle, everyone else really didn't matter to me that much, even my father and sister, I more cared for them out of just the fact they were family more than because I really cared about them... but well... D!#... this is a lot harder than I thought it would be to say."

Toph grind again, and moved over to Zuko who was now resting back against a rock, the some one he had been resting against earlier, looking down at his feet trying to figure out what to say next, more not what to say but how to say it since what he wanted to say he'd been wanting to say for a while.

"Its just that.. when I saw you... I mean... when you were... I mean... D!#... ok let me start over again... again there is only two people I really care about my mom and uncle and well... now... well Toph... umm we've... we've know each other for quite some time, and well... I... I umm... there's... there's something I've been wanting to tell you... that... well umm that... I... I... I... .. . I..."

Toph's feeling of anger towards Zuko had now totally vanished, and now another feeling was coming over her, a feeling of excitement, nervousness, and longer for something that she had wanted for such a long time, then finally as if her body was acting on its own, she moved closer to Zuko and gave him a soft kiss, "I care about you to."


	6. The Aftermath: Author's Note

Author's Note:

The flash back is not over yet, and the point of it will become clear by the end of the next chapter. Now just to recap what has happened, Toph has arrived at Kyoshi Island, and has surprised everyone with that fact that she is married to Zuko (making her the new Fire Lady) and that she is pregnant with his child. This leads to much tension between the group and Toph but after Toph tells Katara a little history about her and Zuko things at least between them seem to get a little better. At the current moment Zuko has surprises Toph by coming to Kyoshi Island as well, but instead of being welcome with a smile from his wife he is welcome with her crying into his arms. When we last left off we where in a flashback where in it Azula has just invaded the Fire Nation Capital and finally Zuko and Toph have shared their true feeling about each other. Please keep reading... .. .


	7. The Aftermath: Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Zuko woke to his uncle softly shaking his shoulder "nephew, the men are almost ready." Iroh hated to disturb his nephew, but it was time to go. The sooner the battle was over the sooner Zuko could be with Toph in peace.

Zuko smiled up at his uncle, "thanks for telling me, I'm be there in a little bit." With that be looked down at the beautiful lady asleep in his arms, how he wish he didn't have to go, but yet he knew he had to. After just staring at her for a while he finally slowly and gently got up, trying not to wake Toph. Before turning the corner he took one last look at her, resting so peacefully again the rock, the morning sun shining on her face, she certainly was beautiful he thought.

SOME TIME LATER

Toph woke up, she was a little disappointed that she wasn't waking up in Zuko's arms but she understood that he had important work ahead of him so she got up and head in to look for him. she quickly found Uncle who was sitting down having a cup of tea, and was nice enough to ask her to sit down with him, which she quickly agreed to. "So where's Zuko?" she asked.

"He's already left with the men to confront Azula." Uncle said in a quite voice not wanting to upset Toph, since he knew that she had wanted to be apart of the battle.

"What! How could Zuko just leave me behind, I can take care of my self in a fight I don't need him to protect me by leaving me behind like some little girl!" Toph slammed down her tea and was about to leave.

"My nephew doesn't think you are weak, please sit down and I'll explain." Uncle was one of the few people that Toph would actually listen to so she sat back down, though still irritated about the whole situation.

"Zuko has left about one fifth of the army behind, half under my command and the other half has been put under your command, he did this so that in case he fails I could leave with the remaining men." Uncle took another sip of tea and waited a little bit.

"What about my troops, am I supposed to leave as well or what?" Toph said in truly confused manor since during the meeting she attended with Zuko the other day none of this had been talked about.

"Zuko doesn't want you to be part of the battle since he doesn't want you hurt, but he knows that you don't want to be treated like your weak and helpless so he left part of the army in your command, so that when you woke up you could decided for yourself, to stay behind or to take your troops and join him; what you do next is your decision." Uncle took one last sip of tea then got up and left.

MEANWHILE

Zuko and his forces had just pushed Azula's forces back to the Great Library of Fire Lord Sozin. Though much of Azula's forces have been defeated it still was going to be a challenge to completely defeat her since the library was a labyrinth of rooms and halls, meaning a direct assault would be foolish at best.

A feeling of great disgrace fell upon Zuko, as he walked away from just ordered a captain and his men to attack the main entrance to the library, knowing likely that none of the would service the attack. Zuko thought back at when he was thirteen and he had spoken up again almost the same thing, but now instead of speeching up against such an order he was making it instead.

The plan was simple, send a small group of troops to the gate to draw attention from the troops that were heading for the roof. The men on the ground would likely die, but hopefully would allow enough time for enough of Zuko's force to gain access to the library through the roof. Once Zuko and his forces had gain access to the library the rest of his force would be split, half would making sure no one except, especially Azula while the rest would attacking the main entrance again, though most of those men would die doing so. It would be a blood and costly victory but Zuko could see no other option.

Soon he heard the gates crash down in the near distance, the gates were down and soon all the men that he just ordered to attack would lay down next to the gate as well, dead or dying. We wanted to go help them, but knew he had to join the others in getting to the roof; the final battle had begun.

SOME TIME LATER

Thanks to the unexpected appearance of Toph and her troops Zuko's forces that where assigned to attack the main entrance had broken through Azula's defenses and now Fire Nation troops where flooding into the library. Toph and the remainder of her troops headed towards where Azula' was while the rest of the forces secured the library.

MEANWHILE

Zuko and the remainder of his troops that had gained access through the roof, had just broken down the doors of the hall of records to find Azula waiting for them, but to their surprise instead of fire benders standing between them it was Long Feng and a great number of Dai Li.

"Hello Zu-Zu, what no hug for your dear sister, I though family was important to you." Azula said in a sarcastic manor while sitting behind a desk.

"Azula, last time I didn't hunt you down, hoping with vain that you might have found peace in another land, but this time will be different, only one of us will be walking out of her, and it won't be you!"

"I'm hurt... but at any rate you are right only one of us is going to leave, but it will be me." With that Azula kicked a wave a fire through the desk and between two Dai Li, heading straight to Zuko, but Zuko easily dodged it.

The room soon became a mad-house of earth and fire going everywhere but unfortunately Zuko and his troops had already had to fight their way to Azula and where weary, while Azula, Long Feng and the Dai Li were just getting warmed up...

MEANWHILE

The remains of Azula's forces where making a last stand at the stairs leading to Azula. Though Toph could easily get herself past the line of the defenses she didn't want to leave her troops behind, until finally a captain told her to just go, since if Zuko died then it wouldn't really matter in the end, so reluctantly she broke through the line of defenses and head straight it down the hall towards Azula.

When she reached the room where Azula was, she was surprised that neither Zuko nor Azula where there, but instead just found dead or dying men, both Fire Nation troops as well as Dai Li. She stopped for a moment to try to feel where Zuko or Azula might be; she could feel the vibration of a great battle taking place in the distance, in a nearby hallway.

The Dai Li laying in the room told her right away the third person she felt had to be Long Feng; A powerful earth bender who she had yet to actually face in direct combat. With that she ran as fast as she could toward the nearby hallway, and as she entered she quickly caught the attention of Azula.

"Oh look Zu-Zu your pet mole has come to help you, how sweet." With that Azula fired a stream of lighting towards Toph.

Zuko quickly jumped in front of Toph, redirecting the lighting back towards Azula, which Long Feng blocked with a wall of earth. Toph stood there unaware of what exactly happened, since though she knew of lighting bending (for example, soon after joining the Avatar when they were running from Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee), she had never had any really experience fighting against it, since Zuko refused to perform the technique in front of her.

Toph just stood there for a moment, never since she had become an earthbender had she ever been so vulnerable and weak. Sure when on a ship, before she learned metal bending or in different situation like that where she couldn't see, but this time it was different this time was could see as well as ever before and was ready to fight, but yet as soon as she entered the hall to help, she was the one who actually needed the help instead.

Finally a yell from Zuko; "Toph deal with Long Feng, I'll take care of Azula!" (though not a yell of anger) snapped her out of here thoughts and she was once again ready to fight.

Azula had notice Toph reaction to her attack and knew what she needed to do to win the fight: keep attacking Toph since she knew that Zuko would keep defending her, hence limiting Zuko's ability to attack her, plus the longer the fight went on the closer her reinforcements would be, though unknown to her was that her reinforcements were at the moment being destroyed by Zuko's troops with the added help of Toph's forces.

Toph struggled to fight on but Long Feng was a lot better then she could have imagined and Azula's lighting attacks constantly were catching her off guard, if it wasn't for Zuko redirecting them all the time she hated to admit it, but she would probably have lost the fight long ago.

Zuko was now tiring quick than before Toph had entered the hall since before when Azula had thrown lightning at him, most of the time he just dodged it instead of redirecting it (since redirecting lighting cause a lot more strain on his body then other firebending techniques). Finally, one of Azula's lighting attacks was too much to handle (in his weary condition) and though he tried his best to redirect the lighting away from Toph, he couldn't fully.

Zuko could hear a cry of pain coming from Toph (because of Azula's attack) he looked up (Toph who was up high on a stone platform fighting Long Feng) to see Toph, and then he saw it; Long Feng took that moment in Toph weaken defense to send a massive pillar of earth that knocked Toph to the ground. As she hit the ground Zuko could hear the sound of bones breaking, and looked as he saw Toph just laying there not moving.

"Well even if your pet mole manages to service she's not going to much of a pet for you, since not only is she blind but now she lame (mean can't walk) as well!" Azula said in arrogant tone in her voice.

Zuko, blood started to boil, she hands tensed up, and then Zuko started to do an attack. Azula know what he was going to do, he was going to try to attack her with lighting, but she would be ready for it, but then to her surprise at the last moment Zuko turned and directed his attack up at Long Feng who was totally unprepared for it.

During this whole time. unknown to the rest of them Toph had slowly moved to a wall and was resting against it, she was now totally blind her ability to see with earthbending was gone, since her legs were indeed broken. She was truly the helpless blind girl she had never wanted to be. All she could do now was lay there and hope that somehow she would get out of this alive, that Zuko would save her.

Zuko's attack went right through Long Feng chest killing him instantly, his lifeless body fell to the ground. Azula was shocked that what her brother had just done. For the first time in her life she was truly afraid of her brother. Up to this point she always thought she had the advantage, since though she would resort to killing, she thought her brother would never do so himself, which made him weaker than her but now things were different.

Toph could hear the sound of something fall and hit the ground, and could no longer her the sound of earth being bended. She held herself tighter, know what it all meant: that Zuko had killed Long Feng, which like Azula had once thought, was something Zuko would never resort to doing. Yes, as Fire Lord his actions and orders had lead to the death of others but he had never himself killed anyone, but what scared Toph almost more than that was that fact that most likely the only single attack that would have done that would have been a lighting attack, an attack the Zuko had sworn he would never do in front of her.

Toph's eyes began to fill with tears, and she began to cry softly. Not only was she now totally blind, weak and helpless at this moment, but now Zuko was showing that we not only could be cold and heartless, by killing Long Feng, but that he would lie if it suited his purpose. This was the same man the Toph had spend the night with (just feel asleep in his arms that all) and had shared her true feelings with, but now he seemed to be a totally different person, a person that truly frightened her; the more she though of these things the more tears filled her eyes.

The next attack from Zuko was directed at Azula, another lighting attack, but different, instead of being pure lighting it was mixed with blue and red fire. Azula had never seen an attack like this and quickly tried to dodge it, but the attack followed her movement, and stuck her in the right side up her upper chest. She flew back against the wall cringing in pain then before she could prepare for another attack, a dagger (the same one uncle Iroh had given him from Ba Sing Se) throw through the air hitting her in the same spot as the perverse attack pining her to the wall.

With three attacks her brother had: in one killed Long Fend (leader of the Dai Li) and in two had defeated her, before she could even attack back or even defend herself. She looked at Zuko as he walked over to her, thinking in a matter of moments he would kill her, just as cold and as heartlessly as he had killed Long Fend. Overwhelming fear filled Azula and she started pleading for her life: "Please Zuko, I'm your sister... look she's alive (referring to Toph)... look there near the corner... please..."

Zuko had never seen his sister like this, all these years of picking on him, claiming she was stronger and better than he was, all these years of acting like nothing could get to her, was all fading away, for now Azula was as weak and as afraid as anyone, and she truly didn't know what he was going to do with her. He had secretly always wished for a moment like this but now that the moment had come it was bitter, and nothing like he had hoped it would be.

Zuko walked over to Azula until he was inches away from her and began to speak to her in a calm and quite voice, "I am not going to kill my own sister or hurt her anymore, you will still have to answer for your actions but you wont have to answer to me." As he spoke he place one hand on her shoulder where she was hurt, and using a similar technique as Ty Lee, stopped the pain his sister was feeling, with his other hand he temporarily took away her ability to fire bend and finally with both hand he gently cause her to sleep, once again using a similar technique as Ty Lee, which he had learned years ago from the same person that had trained Ty Lee.

Toph had been sitting alone cry softly the whole time, but could still barley make out what Zuko has said (for she might be blind and her legs broken her hearing was still as good as ever). She recognized the soft kind tone of Zuko, the man she had come to care so much about, not the heartless killer that had just taken Long Feng's life. She was still crying when Zuko walked over to her and knelt down to see how badly she was hurt. "Toph where does it hurt?" he said in a kind sweet voice.

Toph was being overwhelmed with so many feelings, feeling of pain from the hurt of the fight and the fall, but also emotional pain of having felt so helpless and sacred. Part of her wanted Zuko to just leave, for some of his actions had truly scared and hurt her, plus she hated to have someone see her act like this, she wasn't support to be so weak, she though to herself, but part of her wanted him there right next to her, wanted him to hold her in his arms just like he had last night, back when for a short time everything was perfect.

Finally she lifted her headed up to him to speak but nothing came out. Her eyes were wet with tears, and more tears were coming. She started to raise her hands to push him away, but instead her arms dropped onto his knees and soon her head followed. She finally started to cry out loud, with even more tears feeling her eye. She had never in her entire life acted like this before, but she didn't care, she just couldn't hold it in any longer, all she wanted to do was cry and be close to him, that's all that mattered to her at this moment.

END OF FLASHBACK...

Zuko just knelt there holding Toph, his wife, and allowing her to cry. Now wasn't the time question what had happened, now wasn't the time to try to deal with the problem, now wasn't the time for talk, but was the time to be there for his wife, when she really needed him just to be there with her. Eventually the crying stopped, Toph had literally cried herself to sleep. Zuko gently, as not to wake her, picked up Toph and carried her into the tent and lied next to her.


	8. The Aftermath: Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The next morning Zuko woke up early, though oddly enough he wasn't tired though he had spent much of the night awake. He quickly made a small fire, and started to make a small breakfast. While doing so he laughed to himself at the fact that he and Toph (Fire Lord and Fire Lady) where camping out like refugees while Aang and the rest of them where in a nice warm home probably still sleeping comfortably in their beds.

A little while later Toph woke up to the smell of fish being cooked over the fire, she was still feeling a little embarrass about how she had acted last night but put those thoughts a side; today was a new day and with Zuko here even if the day went worst than before at least Toph would have her husband by her side.

"Breakfast is almost ready, and don't worry I didn't try to make any tea."

Toph walked over to Zuko and began to make the tea. "Yeah, there's at least one thing I'll always be better at than you" she said with a a grin. Zuko was good at many things, but making tea was defiantly not one of them, during his time in Ba Sing Se he mostly just took orders and did other such things and left the tea making to Uncle.

"Glade to see you're in a better mood this morning than last night."

Toph lowered her head a little bit, a little ashamed that again Zuko had seen the weaker side of her. "Please I rather not talk about last night right now, can we just have a breakfast..." Toph said in a quite voice. She was truly glade Zuko had been their last night holding her while she cried but still part of her hated that he had seen her like that.

MEANWHILE

Aang, Katara and Sokka had just sat down to enjoying a special breakfast that Suki had made for them before she and Toe took Kan and Hun on an outing together.

"So Katara what did you and Toph talk about last night?" Sokka said while cramming a piece of meat into his mouth. When Suki and this kids weren't around he almost on cue would start acting like a fifteen-year-old teen again.

"Well we talked about Zuko, and well I think we could have reacted a lot better than we did when Toph first arrived." Katara looked longing at the door hoping that Toph would take Suki's offer (Suki was planing to stop by and invite Toph before she headed out) and have breakfast with them.

MEANWHILE

Suki was walking towards where Toph was, when she was caught off guard by seeing a great red dragon sleeping on the side of the path. She quickly turned but as she turned she bumped right into Zuko.

"Hey there Suki, don't mine Toko, he wont bother you." Zuko said with a slight laugh. He had lighten up a lot since the end of the war, thanks mostly to Toph.

"What... you know that beast!" Suki said in very surprised and confused voice, She was getting overwhelmed with shock, first that of seeing the dragon and then bumping into Zuko, literally.

"Of course, he's ours" Toph said with a grin on her face while walking out of the tent towards the still somewhat surprised and shocked Suki. Having breakfast with her husband had defiantly put her in a good mood.

After taking a few moments to get her barrings Suki finally began to talk again: "Good morning Toph, I was just coming to invite you to have breakfast with Aang, Katara and Sokka..." Suki then quick turned back towards Zuko "and of course your invited as well." Suki said with a smile.

"Well actually..." Toph started to said, but suddenly was interrupted; "We'll head up to the house in a few, thanks for inviting us."

Toph gave Zuko a stern blind stair his direction. She was enjoying her time just being able to be with just him and him alone, and didn't feel like dealing with the others right now, especially Sokka.

Suki, could tell Toph wasn't particularly happy that Zuko had accepted her offer, but she figure that once they had all shared a nice meal together that perhaps things would start getting better, so with that she waved good-bye and headed off to join Toe and her children.

MEANWHILE

"So do you think Toph will be joining us for breakfast?" Sokka wondered out loud, for he wanted to apologize for yesterday. He had gotten a quite heated talking to last night from Suki where she had pretty told him he was wrong for the way he had acted the other day.

"I hope so, spending time together was the whole point of this reunion anyways" Aang said before taking another mouth-full of fish.

"Well she better get here fast since between the two of you all the food will be gone soon!" Katara said with a laugh,

Aang and Sokka gave Katara a evil (yet playful) look towards her and then at the same time said, "Hey it's good food, what are we suppose to do just, let it go to waist!" With that all three of them shared a nice and long laugh together, which was suddenly made silent with a knock on the door.

Sokka tensed up a little bit, he know it had to be Toph at the door. He knew he needed to apologize to her for yesterday, but still he hated having to do so, not because it was Toph or anything like that, but more just that fact that he had to admit he was wrong, again.

Katara decided to brake the silence. "I'll answer the door." she said with a grin, and walked over to open the door, but was shocked to see who was at the door.

"Hello Katara, may we come in?" Zuko said in a pleasant voice. Toph stood next to Zuko, silently thinking to herself that she didn't really wanting to go in, but figure she ought to.

Katara throw her arms around Zuko to give him a hug. "It been too long... it good to see you again after all these years!" Katara was truly happy to see Zuko, though would have welcome him a little less atheistically if it wasn't for her talk with Toph the night before.

It had been over eight years since she had seen Zuko, and he had changed much during the years, The teen boy he once was gone and now standing in front of him was a man, taller and stronger than before. His voice was strong and stern, but yet kind as well. He certainly was not the Zuko that she had remembered.

Toph walked next to Katara and gently elbowed her in the side, "Hey Sugar Queen, find you own husband, he's mine." Like usual Toph used humor to try to deal with ocwerd situation, such as now: having to face everyone after all that had happened the day before.

During the meal much of the conversation was centered around Zuko. Toph was glade that for this since not only did it take the attention off of her, but perhaps it would start to allow the others to see Zuko as she saw him, even though literally she couldn't see him.

Finally the question that was on the mind of everyone was asked, Sokka of course was the one to finally ask it. "So why haven't we seen you that much in the past ten years?"

A short silence fell upon the group, not an awkward silence but more of an impatient one, waiting to see how Zuko would respond to such a question. "Heavy is the burden of one who wears a crown... hence full freedom is not granted to me" Zuko said this in a soft, almost sad tone to his voice. Toph knew better than anyone how true that statement was, and with that a memory started coming to mine:

START OF FLASHBACK

Toph and Zuko had been married not yet a year, and she still was getting used to being Fire Lady as well as the Fire Nations itself. Though international (transnational) marriages weren't un-heard of or even looked down upon, the Fire Nation as a whole still thought that their Fire Lord should have married a nice fire nation lady instead.

Toph sat on a stone bench near the small pond in the royal garden waiting for Zuko to get done with his meeting with his council. She breathed heavily for she was thinking back at the past year (almost a year). In so many ways she was living the life she wanted but yet so often the feeling of sadness came to her.

Suddenly Toph looked up, she could feel a pare feet heading her direction: it was her mother. Her mother had come to celebrate the 9th anniversary of the end of the Great War with her. Toph quickly covered her feelings with a small smile towards her mother.

Toph's mother smiled back then in a caring voice asked: "So Toph do you normally wait for Zuko here?"

"Yes... this is Zuko's favorite spot in the garden."

Toph's mother moved closer and sat next to her daughter. "Toph, are you happy here?" Though for over ten years Toph's mother had not been that close to her, during the past nine all that had began to change and now she could tell better then anyone when Toph was sad, though she didn't always let it known.

The weak smile that Toph once had was gone, and now she just sat there staring blindly at the pond. "Yes... it's  
just that..."

"You miss your husband." Toph's mother interrupted.

"It just that it seems I go to bed alone and wake up to an empty bed so often... part of me at times wish Zuko hadn't become Fire Lord, then we could live a quite life and be with each other more." Toph rubbed her eye, trying to fight back the tears.

"What else is bothering you?" Toph's mother said softly while holding her daughter's hand.

"That's all, there nothing else."

"Please Toph tell me."

"There's nothing to tell." Toph said in a defensive manor while taking her hand away from her mother's"

"Toph you can't hid your feeling from me like you used to. Please tell me"

"Mother stop asking me!"

"No, just tell me." Toph mother's voice was stern now yet still caring and calm.

Toph stood up and turned to her mother. "K... you want to know! I'll tell you! I'm afraid!" As she said this the grown began to shake a little bit. Toph was mad, that her mother had cause her to admit she was afraid. Not even Zuko know this. Why was she telling her mother but hadn't told her own husband?

"Afraid of what Toph?" Toph's mother still was sitting on the bench, hoping to herself that Toph would soon sit back down.

For a few moments it was quite, then Toph finally sat back down, and again stared blindly at the pond. In a calm voice she stated talking again. "Zuko's mother was a great Fire Lady, and I'm simply not." In the past she had been able to gain respect from others even her parents through her strength, courage and skill at bending/fighting, but all that counted for little in the eyes of the nation, since all they saw her as aforeigner... .. .

END OF FLASHBACK

Toph smiled to herself as she thought back to how after that talk with her mother how her mother had helped her learn both how to dealing with the reality that Zuko couldn't always be around as much as she wanted but also with how much she helped her become a Fire Lady that the Nation could be proud of. Then Katara's voice broke her out of her thoughts: "So what are you smiling about?"

"Nothing" Toph lied and quickly thought of something else to say instead. "Just happy that today is going better then yesterday." Honestly things were going better than yesterday, but Toph still was mad and hurt by yesterday and didn't quite want to admit she was enjoying herself, but she figured it was better than talking about her mother with Katara.

I"m glade to hear that!" Katara said in a cheerful voice, but then cheerful disposition faded when she noticed that Toph wasn't eating. "Toph why aren't you eating?"

"Oh... it just that I'm not hungry"

"What you mean, your 'not hungry?'" Katara looked a little annoyed.

Toph honestly was kind of surprised that Katara had gotten annoyed at what she had said, she had just told her the truth. It's not here fault that Zuko had already made breakfast for her when she woke up. Suddenly Toph realized that even though the small breakfast had filled her up, it hadn't Zuko, since Zuko was eating, Katara probably figure that this was there first meal of the day. "Well Zuko and I already had breakfasts before Suki invited us to have breakfast at the house."

Katara's look of annoyance dropped away when she heard this, and was again replace with cheerfulness. Not because of what Toph had said but more that finally after not really saying anything during the meal she was starting to talk. As the meal went on, to Katara's happiness Toph started to talk more and more, and soon it seemed more like old times, it really seemed that Suki had been right and that after a nice meal together things would get back to normal.


	9. The Aftermath: Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Zuko sat on the front porch on a large wooden bench, then suddenly he saw Katara approach. "Why did you leave the celebration?" The islanders had put together a had small celebration for the Avatar and the group (the heroes of the Great War) and Toph and Aang where down at the beach giving Kan, Hun the others children on the island rides on Appa and Toko.

In a somewhat melancholy manor Zuko looked down the hill at the celebration taking place. "As I grew up and especially now I've been required to go to so many celebrations and ceremonies that the joy of them has been lost to me."

Katara moved to sit next to Zuko, since she figured Zuko might like the company, plus also there was a question she had been wanting to ask, and who knew when they would see each other next, since it had been over eight years since the last time "Zuko I was wondering... why Toph?"

"Why do you ask?" was all Zuko had to say, to Katara's surprise.

"It's just that... Toph never stickied me as one that would have wanted to be Fire Lady, yet you asked her to become it." Katara paused for a second to see if Zuko would respond, but said nothing so she continued. "I don't know, it just seems odd that after all these years of rebelling against such a lifestyle (a lifestyles like her parent's) that she would end of choosing it."

Zuko looked up at Katara, and in a quite voice asked. "Are you really asking why I chose Toph, or more why she chose me?"

Katara was taken back a little bit by what Zuko had ask, but then realized he was right, the question she though he wanted to ask wasn't that at all. It just that Even after talking with Toph and trying to understand her, she still was at a lost to understand why Toph had done all she had done: deciding to visit Zuko on her own, spending over three years trying to get through him, marring him and keeping all this a secret for over six years.

Zuko took Katara's silence as confirming what he had thought. "I thought the same thing different times through out the years: Why was Toph still coming back again and again every month... It wasn't until about three years of her monthly visits that I finally realized why."

START OF FLASHBACK

"Good night to you as well... I'll meet you at the main gate tomorrow." Iroh said in a cheerful voice to Toph as she left the dinner room, heading to bed. As the dinning room door shout, behind Toph, Iroh smiled to himself. "It's good to see her once again is such a good mood."

"What you mean by that, Uncle?" Zuko looked at his uncle in a somewhat confused manor.

"Oh it just that as soon as I told Toph that you were away, it seemed like most of here excitement about being here vanished." With that Uncle took a final sip of his tea then left the room himself.

Zuko just sat there thinking, about what his uncle had just said. For these past years he had always though that Toph's visits were more just an excuse to get away from her family and responsibilities at home for a little bit, and the reason she picked the First Nation to visit was simply because she enjoyed visiting his uncle.

Sure during Toph's monthly visits he and Toph and gotten to know each other, and had spent some time together, but he figure that was more a side effect of him being here, more than anything, but maybe Toph really did enjoy seeing him, more then he once thought, since she She had extended her typical three day visit to four, so that she could see him before she left... .. .

END OF FLASHBACK

"I eventually realized that the reason why she came was yes to get away and to visit Iroh, but that wasn't the main reason. It was that she wanted a real friend"

Katara seem confused by this. "What you mean 'real friend' Aang, Sokka and the rest of us are real friends to her, how can you say?"

"Can you honestly say that if it wasn't for the fact that the Avatar needed a earth bending teacher that you would have become friends with Toph?"

"I guess not, but still we're her friends nonetheless... I don't understand what you're saying"

"Toph was seeking a friend, who would be her friend not because they needed something from her or because of here name, whether it was her families name (noble class) of her own (hero of the war)."

"I understand now... she knew none of that would matter to you, so if you two became friends it would be just because you wanted."

"Precisely... that's all Toph wanted, she wasn't looking to a romantic relationship with me, just a friendship, it just turned out that eventually it did become romantic."

* * *

Author's in-chapter note: Yeah I know a short chapter, but felt that I needed to put it in here to answer some possible questions readers might have.


	10. The Aftermath: Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Toph and Zuko headed down to the shore, they would be leaving soon, since Zuko had to get back to the Fire Nation, and though Toph was now enjoying the other's company she really just wanted to go home, plus there was still a lot to be done before the baby came in just a few short months.

As the walk through the small quite town, since most of the people were still asleep since they had been up most of the night feasting, many thoughts and feelings whirled about in her. Part of her was relieved that in the end the visit had turned out well, and she was happy that she and Zuko had gotten to spend some time alone from everyone and everything, but yet she was sad at the same time since she knew soon her quite life would soon end again and the busy life of the palace would begin again.

Zuko could tell that everything was quite right, but before he could ask Toph what it was his own thoughts were interrupted with a cheerful smile and laugh from Toph.

"Our baby just kicked me!" Toph said happily while rubbing her belly. That small act drove all the negative thoughts and feelings Toph was thinking about away, for she new they didn't mater, what mattered was she was going home with her husband by her side, and soon the palace wouldn't be so empty. As she walk she though back about how similar the morning was to that of the morning she told Zuko she was pregnant.

START OF FLASHBACK

Toph woke up to again to an empty bed, but the sight of an empty bed no longer brought her such sadness as before, thanks to her mother and plus she knew that today was going to be a tough day for Zuko, since he would soon be leaving for the Boiling Rock, since there was a particular prisoner being transferred from the island to the capital.

Toph hurried to get dressed and ready for the day, since she really wanted to make sure to catch Zuko before he left for the prison, since she really had something quite important to talk to her husband about, something that would change there lives forever. She has been waiting for the right moment to talk to him about this and she figure considering he would be gone for the rest of the day that today would be a good day to do so.

The sun was still not quite up when Toph finally caught up with Zuko. The city was still mostly asleep, which Toph and Zuko liked since it allowed them to walk peacefully through the streets of the capital, which they couldn't often do. After a few moments of silently walking together, just enjoying the quietness of the city, Toph broke the silence. "Zuko there something we need to talk about."

Toph's voice was quite also as is she was shy or nervous about what she had to day, which was not like Toph at all, she usually so good at talking about important mater. She always said what was on her mine and felt that whatever it was that needed to be said should just be said instead of beating around the bush, but this time it seemed different and Zuko could tell, but said nothing.

"You know me well enough to know I'm not into giving big speeches, so I'll just cut to the chase... I know today is going to be hard for you, but at least this should bring some comfort during your day..." Toph stopped walking and turned so that she could tell his eyes would be looking straight into hers, then with a wide grin on her face, a grin Zuko know all to well, she said in an almost child like voice: "I'm pregnant!"

Zuko just stood there, frozen, not sure what to say. Toph grin was getting bigger it seemed like by the second; she was loving every moment of this. Finally Zuko still not knowing what to say just took Toph in his arms and held her closet to him. Besides their wedding night, this had to be the most precious moment in his life, he thought to himself!

END OF FLASHBACK

When Toph and Zuko reach the shore, the sun had still not shown itself, and much of the crew was barely awake. The captain himself greeted the two with a slight yawn, which Toph thought was sort-of funny, unlike Zuko, who was eager to get back to the capital. By no means was he regretting coming, but still he know he need to get back to his work and responsibilities.

A little while later the ship head out to sea leaving Kyoshi Island behind them. As the ship headed away from the island Toph stared blindly back at the island wondering if they (Zuko and her) should have waited until everyone was up before leaving, but she figure Zuko was right, they need to be going and it they would have waited chances are they wouldn't have left until much later. Finally the earliness of the day was starting to get to her and she head below deck.

Below deck Toph thought back at the first time she was on a Fire Nation ship, how she was so active and free during it, and how much things have changed. Some people might said becoming pregnant cause her to loose that part of her, since she asked for help so often and had yet to do any real bending (besides for practical use) in such a long time.

Toph laughed softly to herself while laying on bed, at how when she was younger she figure that if she ever got pregnant that it would slow her down, and she would be like those women you hear about that still go on adventures while pregnant, but yet here she was just laying on a bed, on a Fire Nation ship; "Some adventure I'm having." Toph said to herself.

Suddenly another gentle kick from here baby brought her out of her thinking, and she remembered what really mattered most, wasn't her going on adventures but doing what was best for her child. Sure she figure she could if she really wanted to, it not like anyone could really stop her, but now it wasn't just her life she was risking but her child's life. Eventually the sway of the boat, that she had over they years gotten used to, rocked her to sleep.

SOME TIME LATER

Zuko entered the room to find Toph still sound asleep, both hand softly on her belly. He almost hated to wake her, but he knew that Toph wanted to know when they were reaching the capital. Zuko leaned over and softly blew on her ear, which cause Toph to wrinkle her face and nose, is a very cute manor, but yet she was still asleep, so Zuko leaned over and kissed her on the forehead and Toph woke with a tired yet relaxing yawn.

"So guessing were almost home, Spark?"

"Yes the capital said we should be able to see in within the next hour or two."

"K... so guess I should get up, hum...?

"Yeah or I'll I just might leave without you." Zuko said with a slight laugh.

"Do that and you might a permanently empty bed... if you get what I mean!"

"Sure..." And with that Zuko head up to the deck, followed closely but Toph.

Above deck Toph climbed onto Toko's back, (for he was going to flight her and Zuko to the place, hence giving Toph and Zuko just a little more time alone) while Zuko said a few last things to the captain and crew. "Now again I want to thank you for you hard work, once you get reach the capital report to Admiral Jeong Jeong, he will give you your next assignments." With that Zuko climbed onto Toko and hand head of to the capital

A LITTLE WHILE LATER

Zuko took a last look at the ship before it went out sight. Though Toph didn't particularly enjoy flying (since couldn't see anything) she had decided it would be nice to just be alone with Zuko before little bit longer, before she would once again have to share her husband with the the rest of the Fire Nation.

Toph was enjoying having her arms tightly around Zuko and sharing a nice conversation when suddenly Zuko went silence and his body tensed up; Toph wondered what Zuko was looking at to cause such a change in him... .. .


	11. The Aftermath: Author's Note II

Author's Note II:

Chapter 8 marks the end of part one (act one) of my story. This first part of the story focus pretty much only on Toph and Zuko, and only using the other characters when needed. This first part also had a lot of flashback, since I wanted you to know a great deal about the two main characters and how they are different from how they are presented in the animated show.

The next part/s of the story was going to still focus on Toph and Zuko, but now the other characters are going to play a much more important part and its not just going to be a two person story, if you get what I mean. Also there are going to be a great deal less flashback than before, and many of topic brought up (directly and indirectly) will be dealt with, such as why Zuko doesn't bend lighting infront of Toph, what happened to Azula and of course what is it that Zuko is at the end of chapter 8?

Now I am planing on writing a lot more on this story, but at this point (05-15-08) I have only gotten 2 review, so I'm hoping to post a few more chapter by June 15th but I'm not posting anymore until I get at least 10 review. Please review since it helpful to know what I'm doing good and bad at, pus if you have any ideas about what I should put in the story feel free to tell me, I might use part if not all of you idea, you never now...

Anyways one last thing, to the people who are telling me I have grammar and spelling mistakes, I just want to let you know that English is my second language, so please bare with me, and I am trying hard to find and correct the mistakes I ind, but I'm not a professional witter, so again please bare with me. Well hopefully you like what you've been reading so far, and again review if you want to know what happens next!


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